A North Carolina couple has been arrested and charged with six counts of misdemeanor child abuse and one count of felony child abuse after an 18-month-old boy was found with maggots living inside of his diaper and six other children were found to be malnourished.
On Friday, officers were performing a welfare check at the home of 25-year-old Jamie Leigh Hiatt and 26-year-old Michael Patrick McKnight when they discovered seven children all under the age of six living in unsanitary conditions. TVH11 reported that the children were said to be unclean and malnourished.
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Lexington Police Department Cpt. Michael Hunt stated that officers were met with the overwhelming smell of feces and urine upon entering the home. He went on to add that it was obvious that the children’s malnourishment was an ongoing issue.
Davidson County EMS and Davidson County Social Services were called after police assessed the children, who range in age from one to six. EMS transported two 18-month-old twins and a one-year-old to Lexington Medical Center for further assessment and treatment. They were later transferred to Brenner’s Children Hospital in Salem, North Carolina for treatment.
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Four other children were removed from the house and placed into the care of relatives or foster care.
McKnight and Hiatt were jailed with $100,000 bond each. Their court date is set for November 20 and they may face additional charges.
